What Are the Dates During Which the Trojan War Took Place?

Historians and archaeologists have placed the Trojan war some time in the 13th century B.C. Because there are so many different accounts of the Trojan War, it is difficult to determine the exact dates on which it took place.

Troy was excavated in 1870 by the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. Since then, extensive studies have estimated that the city met its demise around the year 1250 B.C. In 2008, scientists used evidence through astronomical references in the Odyssey to find the date of Odysseus' return to Greece after the Trojan War. Using Homer's reference to the solar eclipse on the day of Odysseus's arrival, the scientists found that the most likely date would have been April 16, 1178 B.C, which was 10 years after the fall of Troy.